PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Senior
Walter Driscoll (Kittery Point, Maine) tallied a goal in his second straight game, but the Plymouth State University men's soccer team fell to the Keene State College Owls, 2-1, in a heated Little East Conference match at Arold Field on Wednesday afternoon.
The Owls scored the opening goal of the match early in the first half, but the Panthers evened things up at 1-1 as Driscoll buried a one-time volley off a pass from junior
Massimo Korcsog (Ottawa, Ontario). Plymouth State controlled play through much of the second half, but an 80th minute goal from Keene State deemed to be the game winner in the back-and-forth LEC battle.
Senior
Nicholas Cornejo Mora (Durham, N.H.) put forth a strong performance between the pipes registering three saves.
Plymouth State falls to 5-7-2 (2-3-1 LEC), while the Owls go to 4-6-3 (3-2-1 LEC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 1, Keene State 2
- Plymouth State (5-7-2, 2-3-1 LEC)
- Keene State (4-6-3, 3-2-1 LEC)
How it Happened:
- The Owls struck first in the fifth minute as a ball crossed in from the right side found its way in front of the Panthers' goal and the Keene State striker managed to poke in the first goal of the game to go up 1-0.
- Plymouth State tied things up in the 21st minute, as Driscoll rifled a one-time half volley from the top of box past the diving goalkeeper to the bottom right corner of the net, evening the match up at 1-1.
- Both teams created chances to take the lead, but the game remained 1-1 at halftime.
- The Panthers began the second half controlling most of play, until the Owls started to pour on the pressure with roughly 20 minutes remaining. Keene State crashed a shot off the crossbar and in the ensuing corner kick, forced a diving save by Cornejo Mora to keep the game level.
- Keene State launched another shot off the crossbar with less than 15 to play as tensions grew in the waning moments of the contest.
- The Owls' pursuit paid off in the 80th minute as Keene State slipped one past the Panthers' goalkeeper to take a late 2-1 lead and secure the conference victory.
By the Numbers:
- Korcsog registered his team-leading fifth assist, which is tied for the third most in the conference.
- The Owls outshot Plymouth State 15-10.
- Each team recorded three shots on goal.
- Keene State edged Plymouth State on corner kicks, 5-4.
- The last time the matchup produced a 2-1 scoreline in regulation was 2014.
- Plymouth State is 15-22-1 in the head-to-head matchup dating back to 1986.
Up Next:
- The Panthers head to Willimantic, Conn. to face the Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors for a noon contest on Saturday (Oct. 19) in a Little East Conference match that could all but secure a playoff berth for Plymouth State.
– 30 –
